Dream, Dream, Dream
by mysticalflute
Summary: Charming isn't the only one that dreams of things lost. (Spoilers for 3x14 "The Tower")
1. Emma

She didn't dream often, so when she found herself standing in a room - a nursery, she could tell - with a tall, blonde man (was he a prince?), she found herself unable to move.

But then, someone else entered the room. It was a mirror image of herself, dressed to the nines in a poofy princess gown.

"What the hell?" she said, but neither the man nor her doppelganger paid her any bit of attention.

"I don't even know how to dance. Teach me?"

This was wrong. It sounded just like her but it wasn't her. She wasn't a princess. This wasn't her father. This wasn't her bedroom.

But… Emma was enraptured by this. She knew it was ridiculous to think that this could have been her life. She'd stopped dreaming about things like this when she'd turned sixteen and she knew that no one was coming to whisk her away to a castle.

"Emma, this is all I ever wanted for you," the man said.

"I know. This is all I ever wanted too…"

Emma watched in delight as the man swung her doppelganger around the room, dancing in the fairytale-esque fashion she'd thought was ridiculous years ago. It might have been fake, but she loved it. It was like giving her a small bit of hope that her life would improve (not that she hated her life – she did have a son that she adored with all her heart). That there was something more out there for her to see.

"But I'm not really here. I was _never_ here."

Emma's heart sank. Why did this dream have to become a nightmare? She wanted to stay in this nursery and watch this dream play out. This man, "_daddy_" her doppelganger had called him, was better than any dream she'd had of her father in years. She didn't want this to be a nightmare.

If she was being honest… she wanted it to be the truth.

The room turned dark, the other-Emma standing there with sadness on her face.

"NO!" Emma cried, watch as what she could only describe as a portal opened, nearly swallowing the other-Emma into it.

"Emma! I'll protect you! I'll save you!" the man cried, holding on tight to her.

Emma felt like he was speaking to her and not just to this dream-version of herself. Tears sprang to her eyes. She wanted to believe that someone other than Henry was fighting for her.

"It's too late! You failed me!"

The devastated look on the man's face had Emma's heart breaking. Something had happened – and Emma wanted to know what. Did she know this man? Was that… other Emma another version of herself that had somehow been lost?

Why did it feel so familiar if it was just a dream?

"Don't fail the next one…"

Next one?

"Goodbye daddy…" With another cry, her doppelganger was swallowed and Emma felt herself choking back sobs as "Charley's Girl" suddenly began to fill the room, the scene of a devastated father fading.

As she pulled herself from her bed, Emma knew that this was one dream she would not soon forget.


	2. Henry

The room was on fire. In a way, it reminded him of when he'd gotten home from school to see the apartment he'd lived in had burned down. Only he hadn't been in the building, while now, he was in the middle of a burning room.

"HELP!" he shouted. "SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!"

He had no idea if anyone was here, if anyone could hear him.

He hadn't had a nightmare in months, so he supposed he was due for one.

"H-Henry?!"

Someone _was_ here! But how did they know his name?

"Can you see me?!" he called out. "Where are you?!"

"I'm over here! I'll come to you… just stay there Henry!" the woman called back.

His name again. He wondered how in the world the woman could have known that.

She appeared before him suddenly, the flames moving out of her way, like she could control them. Henry shivered, but was glad that some of them were away from him. Taking in the woman's appearance, he noticed that she was dressed in a beautiful white gown, with long ebony hair, and red lips.

Just like…

"Snow White?"

She stared at him and smiled. "Yes… I'm Snow White. How did you know that?" she whispered, looking as if she'd known him for years.

"You look like her. Well, the way the books describe her anyway. Dark hair, reddish lips, a dress that looks like something out of a movie… only difference is your hair's a lot shorter in the movie I've seen."

When she didn't look confused as to what a 'movie' was, Henry had a feeling this wasn't an ordinary dream.

Instead, she laughed quietly. "Yes, I suppose that's right. The story in that movie is… vastly different from the truth. Really I think the only things that are the same is my hair color, the poisoned apple, and my stepmother being the reason I ate the apple to begin with."

Henry stared at her. This sounded interesting.

But first… there was something bothering him.

"How did you know my name?" the boy asked.

The question seemed to cause a reaction in the woman, and Henry knew something was up at that moment.

"It's a long story, Henry," she said softly. "A very, very long story."

"Is this just a dream?" he asked. "And don't lie to me. I have a thing with lies."

Snow White laughed a little, before her face became somber again. "No Henry. This isn't a dream. Well, not really. You're really asleep and this is really in your head but… as far as this conversation it isn't something your subconscious has made up or anything."

"But how? You're a fairytale. You can't be real…"

He was too old to believe in these things, wasn't he? But this felt so real, and though he'd felt something like this before in his dreams, even this felt different.

"Anything is possible, Henry," she said softly. "You must always believe that."

"So if this is real… if you're real… how do you know me?" he asked, swallowing tight. He wanted to believe more than anything that this was real – because if it was that was the best thing to ever happen in his life – to have one of his mother's favorite fairy tale characters be real – she needed it after the life she had. Maybe Snow White could help his mother out, make her be happier, like her movie was.

"I'm - "

But before she could answer, he faded away.

Henry took a deep breath as he opened and rubbed at his eyes, finding himself back in his bedroom, hearing "Charley's Girl" muffled from his mother's room next door.

"Henry! Hurry up and get dressed! I need to drop you off early today!"

"Okay Mom!" he called back as he made his way to where he'd set out his clothes the night before. As he changed, Henry couldn't shake the feeling that the dream he'd had was real – and he hoped he would see Snow White again.


	3. Daybreak

_(A/N: This chapter is not a dream!)_

* * *

"REGINA!"

The former queen could hear the yell far before she heard the rapid footsteps or the breathlessness of her (former?) stepdaughter's voice.

Calmly, the woman set the book she'd been reading on her vanity. "What is it, Snow?"

"I saw Henry last night."

The mention of her son's name had the woman leaping from her seat. She of course dreamed of Henry, but Snow went into that… that land of fire, just like Henry had what seemed like a lifetime ago.

Snow had a better chance to actually _talk_ to him.

"You… you're sure it wasn't a dream? It was actually Henry?" she asked. She needed to be sure.

"Of course I'm sure Regina. I could never, ever forget a moment in that room. He was scared again – he doesn't remember ever being in that room. I had to help him…"

"Right… right… he doesn't remember."

She stood silently for a moment, before looking at her stepdaughter again. "How is he, otherwise?"

"I didn't get to speak with him long, but from what I could tell he's happy and healthy. He also… has trouble believing in fairytales."

That revelation had Regina's heart sinking. Though she had tried to keep her identity a secret from him in the beginning, she knew how excited he'd been when it was revealed (though not in the way Regina had ever would have wanted it) that he was indeed the grandson of Snow White and Prince Charming – a prince in his own right.

"Did you tell him about us? About his family?" she asked.

"I started to, but he woke up. I told him the only thing I could – that anything is possible. With any luck, that will be enough for him to start thinking that something is amiss in his life."

Regina sighed. "If he doesn't remember who we are, how can he believe?"

"I said his name. I told him that belief isn't something to let go of. I knew what a movie was. If he still doesn't belief after even all that then you did a bigger number on him than you thought you did," Snow told her. "But it isn't enough for him to believe, Regina. You have to believe too."

"I don't know how… when you were cursed… how did you keep up your belief and your hope?" she asked. It had been something that bothered her for months before the curse actually broke. She'd tried to break Snow's spirit and yet somehow, despite the things she'd done – Kathryn, framing Snow for the murder, the incident with the car – Snow had, somehow, managed to get through it.

"Would you like me to try to teach you, Regina?" her stepdaughter offered.

Regina looked at her in surprise. She would really do that? Even after everything?

"Yes…" she admitted. "I - I think I would like that very much."

The look on her stepdaughter's face was a cross between the excited little girl Regina remembered rescuing and the little boy she had to let go of in the Land Without Magic.


	4. Snow

She was back in the nursery.

Swallowing tight, Emma looked around again. She was alone this time, so she could focus on the room itself. A purple and white blanket lay draped over the crib, and her eyes widened as she realized what it was.

Her blanket.

The baby blanket she'd been found in after she'd been born.

But... how was it here?

Slowly, as if the place was rigged to a bomb, Emma made her way to the crib, lifting the soft blanket into her hands. If this place was representing something, she wanted to know what, and why her blanket was here.

Suddenly, she felt a jerking reaction, and she found herself in another room, the vision slightly fuzzy as an ebony-haired woman lay on a bed, screaming in agony as she gave birth.

The blanket that was clutched in her hand lay at the end of the bed, awaiting the baby that would soon make her debut.

Emma watched as it was cleaned, and the parents – the father being the same man from the other night – held her close.

"Get the baby to the wardrobe…" the woman murmured.

"Snow, are you insane?"

_Snow._

She could hear the sobs of the woman – her mother? – as she was suddenly moved elsewhere. Emma watched, horrified as she, following the man as he fought his way through a group of guards dressed in black, with gaudy feathered helmets on their heads. Emma gasped in terror as a sword tore across the man's shoulder, just barely missing the baby in his arms, blissfully unaware of what was going on.

The baby – _her_ – was placed in the wardrobe, the man kissing her forehead before the door closed, a flash of light the only indication something had happened.

As the man fell unconscious (he must have been okay though, right? Because she'd seen a grown-up version of herself dancing with him just a week ago), one of the guards opened the door…

And the baby was gone.

Emma stumbled back, dropping the blanket as the room went back to normal. She stood in the nursery, shaking.

What the _hell_ was that?

"We failed you," a voice said from behind her.

Emma froze. It was the woman from the vision – Snow White.

The woman that appeared to be her… her _mother_.

"We should have been able to go together, as a family, and yet you were on your own."

Family…

Slowly, Emma turned around, looking at the woman, before shaking her head. "You didn't fail me. I don't know what's going on… who you are or what this is… but I watched you give birth to… to _me_, I guess – and I saw the love in your eyes, and the pain in them when you gave me up. It's the love any good parent has for their child… so… i-if you are my mother… you didn't fail me. Even if we… we weren't together."

Her eyes went wide. "You don't know who I am, and yet you believe I didn't fail you? Why?"

It seemed like he knew that most of the time, she would believe that her parents gave up on her and abandoned her like a piece of trash but there was something about this man that she couldn't understand. Maybe it was her inner child, locked away for so many years, finally having a chance to see what it would be like to be a princess. Maybe it was because she nearly gave up her own child, so she could see the mindset of parents that gave up theirs.

Or maybe it was because there was something else going on.

"I don't know," she admitted. "But there's… there's something about you that's familiar…"

She eyed the woman's stomach, a slight baby bump clear through the dress.

The woman smiled a little, and Emma couldn't help but feel warmed by it. "Familiar? Really? I'm so glad to hear that Emma…"

"Wait, you know my name? So did… the man…"

"Man?"

Emma nodded. "Yeah… I-I didn't catch his name but he was a prince… dancing with like this… princess version of me. But I'm no princess."

"Your father. And don't say that."

"So he… he _is_ my father?" Her heart pounded in her chest at that news, ignoring the woman's other words for the moment. "And that makes you my… my mother? B-but how?"

"It's a long story… but just know, Emma, that we love you both so very, very much…"

"You don't know me," she said, trying to be defiant. She wanted to believe that this was impossible, that her subconscious had made this version of Snow White after too many times of watching the real thing and nitpicking nearly everything about the character.

The only problem was, there was something too real about this Snow White.

"I do know you. And I know Henry. He had a nightmare a week ago. I had to help him calm down," Snow White replied.

Emma frowned. "What?"

She hadn't heard anything about that.

"Ask him about it… but for now I'm afraid we must part again Emma," Snow White said, smiling, though Emma could tell she was only trying to stay strong – there was a hidden pain in her eyes.

"I don't want to leave you…" she whispered.

"Emma you must believe that we will see each other again. That we will all be a family again. Promise me…"

A sob escaped her. "I-I'll try… I-I promise you…"

It was the least she could do. After so many years of being bitter and angry at the world, to see something like that, even if this was just a dream, it was a damn good lesson to make a change, to believe that anything was possible.

And it was with reluctance that Emma woke up.


	5. Revelations

Emma nervously stirred the pan of eggs on the stove as she heard Henry stepping into the room. She knew she had to confront him about that bizarre dream she'd had the night before… the one where the woman told her that her son had a nightmare – with the same woman in it.

"Mom, everything okay?" her son asked, looking at her in concern. "You look worried about something."

"Henry…" she said slowly, cutting the heat as the eggs finished cooking. "Have you been sleeping okay? Any… nightmares you want to tell me about?"

It was subtle, but she saw something flash in her son's gaze. "No, of course not," he said, laughing nervously. "I haven't had a nightmare in years, Mom."

"Are you sure?"

Another nervous fidget and Emma knew she had him.

"Maybe there was something…" he eventually muttered.

She nodded. "Uh-huh. Did it involve a room full of fire?" she asked.

He stared at her like she'd lost her mind.

"How… did you know that?" he asked.

Emma swallowed tight, avoiding his gaze as she plated his breakfast. "I had a dream last night too. Not like that one but there was a woman there – a princess. She said she knew you."

"Snow White? You dreamed about Snow White too?" he asked.

Emma nodded slowly, sitting at the table with him. "I did. She said she was my… my mother. I don't know how it's possible but I saw it Henry. I saw my birth… my blanket was there, in the nursery."

Henry stared at her.

"I know it sounds crazy but… for the past few weeks I've been feeling like something was off with our life, y'know? Like there was something missing."

Henry frowned before grinning a little. "So if you're Snow White's daughter, that makes me a prince, right?"

She blinked before nodding slowly. "Yeah, I guess regardless of who your father is it does."

Henry suddenly leaped from his chair, holding his fork out like a weapon. "Then let's have a sword fight!" he declared. "Come on, unless you're chicken."

Emma couldn't help but chuckle before she grabbed her own. "Bring it on."

* * *

"You'll have forty-eight hours to convince them to come back, do you understand me?" the woman asked, looking at her two volunteers. "If you fail, you'll be back without them and we'll have no other options."

The two men in front of her nodded.

Letting out a sigh, she nodded slowly, handing them the small trinkets she'd managed to make into portable portals to the Land Without Magic. It was the only thing they could do without casting a full curse.

"Let's hurry," one said, looking at his companion. "We don't have any time to waste."

His companion nodded, and the two men left the room, leaving the woman alone again, letting out a sigh as she looked out the large tower window.

The Wicked Witch could not win, and the price of her bringing back Emma and Henry was the last time she'd ever be able to use her magic.

Emma was their only hope.


	6. Memories

"I'm never gonna stop fighting for you. Ever."

Emma frowned as she was suddenly in a random jungle.

With Neal.

While Emma and Neal had traveled around a bit, they never went to a jungle. She wasn't even sure if such places existed in the United States, but she doubted it because it seemed way too tropical for even a state like Florida.

"If Henry is the only good thing that came from us being together, I say we did alright."

That was clearly her, and her recently, because she no longer wore glasses, nor did she wear too frilly of shirts anymore. Plus, despite the sweat and exhaustion on her own face, Emma could tell that this… version of her, looked a little healthier than she had when she was eighteen.

But Emma didn't remember any of this. She hadn't seen Neal since that day in Portland – and this was very obviously as far from Portland as it could get.

Her dream-self smiled at Neal.

"Yeah."

Neal didn't know about Henry though. This wasn't possible.

"Now let's go get our son back."

Wait what? Where was Henry?

Emma blinked a little as the scene faded, and she woke to a loud knock on the door.

"MOM! We have a visitor!" Henry shouted from the living room. It was a Saturday, and while she normally woke before him, she'd been out late on a case the night before.

Emma pulled herself from her bed and made her way to the door, opening it slowly.

Neal.

"What the _hell_ are you doing here?" she hissed.

"Emma I need your help," he said softly. "Something's happened."

"My help? You want me to help you after all this time? After you abandoned me and let me go to prison?" she asked, stepping out into the hallway and closing the door behind her. She didn't want Henry to be exposed to this.

"It's not just me. It's your parents. Your family."

She froze. He didn't know her parents – did he? How could he? They were only together for a few months before it all fell apart.

"Humor me. Who are my parents then?"

"Snow White and Prince Charming."

She stumbled back against the door, staring at him. How could he possibly know that? Unless he was just bluffing – saying the first thing that came into his head.

But no. She knew Neal. She knew how bitter and jaded he was from his own past issues – he wouldn't say something like that unless it was true.

"How? How do you know that?"

"They sent me. They told me about the dreams you and Henry have been having about them. So I was sent here to come get you guys. To bring you both home."

"Home? _This_ is our home, Neal. I have a job, Henry has school, friends…"

"I know that. But something terrible has happened. Your parents are in danger."

Emma blinked, her heart beginning to pound in her chest. She didn't want anything to happen to those people in her dream. But how could she believe Neal, after everything? How could she believe that she was the daughter of fairytale characters, with or without Neal being there? Regardless of who was telling her this, it was too crazy to believe.

On the other hand… she really wanted the people in her dream to be safe.

"How can I trust you?" she asked. "After everything?"

"You can't, Emma. But I know you… and I can tell that you care about these people. So if you're going to believe, don't believe me, but believe your dreams."

She exhaled sharply. "Okay. If this is true. If I'm… the daughter of these fairytale characters… and if you know about Henry, why don't we remember any of it?"

"There was a curse that separated us. You and Henry forgot about all of us. Do you remember driving through Maine?"

Emma's eyes widened. She remembered that – about a year ago she and Henry had taken a long drive up through the Eastern seaboard, just for fun. A trip Labor Day weekend, before he started school again.

It explained why she'd felt like they'd been in a town, when there was nothing behind them. She'd thought it was a longing to get back to New York, but it seemed not.

"How can we remember?"

"Take this."

Neal held out a blue vial, not something Emma had ever seen before. Shakily, she took it, opening it, and swallowing what was inside.

She stumbled back against the door, her mind swirling with images.

Taking a deep breath, she looked up at Neal, the feelings settling. She didn't hate him as much as she had, now that she knew the truth of what had happened and why.

"Neal?"

"Emma?"

She pulled him into a hug, relieved. She remembered.


	7. Leaving

"Wait, Neal, how did you get here? There wasn't supposed to be any way for you to get back," she asked as she saw Hook come around the corner.

"Regina found a way. I don't know how – didn't ask. You know how I am with the dark magic stuff. But she found a way and she sent Hook and I here to try and find you and bring you home," Neal replied. "I'm glad we found you so quickly – the magic will only work for two days."

"When did you guys get here?"

Henry pulled the door open just as Neal was about to answer, and Emma swallowed tight when his dark eyes darted back and forth between his parents, and then over at Hook.

"Mom, who are they?" he asked.

Emma exhaled sharply, glancing at the two men with her. "Henry… this is Killain Jones and… and Neal Cassidy. Neal is your father."

Bracing herself for the anger that was sure to come from Henry, Emma regarded Neal carefully. He looked prepared for anything Henry would throw his way.

"Why is he here?" Henry asked, eyes narrowing.

"I… came to hire your mom for a case. My father is in trouble."

Her eyes widened, looking at Neal, trying to find a lie.

She found none, and her heart sank. Gold was alive? How?

"Why should she help you?"

"Henry," Emma said in warning.

Yes, she was angry with Neal, but she did know the reasons why. While she wasn't particularly thrilled about it, she could understand. He was running from his past, and so was she. They both eventually grew to accept it. Growing up together. It was ironic really.

"I need you to trust me, Henry, okay? Please. Can you drink this?"

"What is it?"

"Something that will help you understand why I need to help Neal and Killain," she said, holding out the spare vial of memory potion the men had brought. "Do you trust me?"

Henry nodded. "Of course…"

"Then drink it…"

She saw him hesitate before taking the small bottle and drinking it. Her son's eyes widened before he looked around at the three adults.

"Mom… Dad… Hook!" he said, and Emma exhaled, relieved.

"Hey buddy!" Neal said, catching the thirteen year old as he launched into a hug.

"I'm happy to observe this reunion, but Regina did only give us two days to find them and return to the Enchanted Forest," Hook said. "So, Swan, Henry, I would hurry and pack whatever you want to take back with you."

The Enchanted Forest. Right. They were going to be leaving New York for The Enchanted Forest.

Emma exhaled sharply again. "Right. Come on Henry."

Henry followed her back into the apartment, only speaking when they were alone.

"So, we're going to the Enchanted Forest? Are you sure you're okay with it?" he asked.

Emma nodded slowly, before looking around. "I mean… it's dangerous there – Neal warned me but… if they only have two days to get us back there, and there's no other way back… I know you must miss Regina, and the others…"

She saw Henry frown. "Don't _you_ miss them too?"

Emma hesitated, memories of first meeting Mary-Margaret, the moment they had in the nursery, nearly losing them in the Storybrooke mines, having to say goodbye to them last year…

She hadn't known she had missed them but…

"Yeah. I do too," she finally admitted as she took one last glance around their apartment. "You sure you got everything you want to take? You know there's no coming back, right? And no electricity?"

Henry nodded. "I can live with it, as long as we have our family again."

She put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it as she led him out of the apartment, the quartet going downstairs and to the docks, the familiar ship waiting for them in the harbor.

"Hey Hook! Can I steer?" Henry asked, running to the wheel.

"What? What do you mean steer? Of course not!"

"But my Dad showed me how last year when you attacked granddad!"

Hook stared between Henry and Neal, horrified. "YOU LET AN ELEVEN YEAR OLD DRIVE MY SHIP?!"

"Oh come on Hook! I was thirteen when you taught me!" Neal shot back.

Emma simply smirked and leaned back against one of the railings, face going red as she tried to fight back laughter.


	8. Home

The ride through the portal was just as bumpy as Emma remembered it. Letting out a shriek at a particularly rough wave, she felt relieved at Neal's arm around her, holding her steady as he held tight to a rope.

"You okay?" he called.

She nodded as they finally landed back in the Enchanted Forest. Emma looked around at how… full it seemed to be, even if she couldn't really see anyone from their position.

Henry was over by Hook, holding on to one of the ropes near the wheel, having been watching the man intently. After Hook's initial shock, he'd been okay with Henry watching.

_Just_ watching.

"I wanted to give you something before we get back, since I have a feeling you're going to be a bit busy when you see your parents. Lots has changed," he said, pulling something out of his pocket.

"She's pregnant, I kno – Neal… is that what I think it is?" she asked, staring at the small pendant in his hand. The swan pendant he'd given her all those years ago – the one she'd returned to him the first time they saw each other in Manhattan again.

"The keychain, yeah. It survived the trip back here last year," he explained as she took it into her hands.

"How? Everything was destroyed…"

"I talked to Belle about it when we were trying to find a way back to you… she said it was born out of… out of true love."

"True love? Like… like my parents – "

"GRAMS! GRAMPS!" Henry suddenly shouted from the front of the boat, his arms waving wildly as Hook slowly docked the large ship.

Emma looked over at her parents, _her parents,_ and all of the anguish that she'd felt before she and Henry had crossed the town line resurfaced. She had missed them terribly.

Following Henry and Hook off the ship, Emma found herself enveloped in the warm, familiar arms of her parents, and she choked back tears as her hand brushed her mother's swollen stomach. The thought of having a little sibling should have made her jealous, but she was so relieved that her parents were getting a second chance.

And so was she.

"Mom… Dad…" she murmured, leaning into the hug with relief.

"Oh Emma, sweetheart, we missed you _so _much," her mother responded, gently breaking the hug, though Emma was reluctant to. "Come on… everyone's waiting for you and Henry."

"Now? But Neal and Hook said something was wrong. Something terrible," Emma said.

"We have people looking out for her, and Regina has put the strongest spells against her for now. We need to talk, just for a little bit Emma. Please," Snow said, rubbing her back gently. "Just a little."

Emma nodded reluctantly. "Okay."

Her father smiled, a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions as to what's going on, but so do we."

"Will you answer me something before we start bonding? Just one question," she asked as her parents led she and Henry into the palace she only remembered as being a complete disaster area.

"Anything."

"Who are we up against this time?"

Her parents exchanged a look, and she did the same with Henry, the Swans giving her parents distrustful glances.

Her mother sighed. "The Wicked Witch."

Emma stared at her. "As in… 'I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too?'"

"The very same," her father said.

"_Seriously?_" she sighed. "And Regina can't stop her?"

Her mother shook her head. "No. The only thing can stop her is light magic, which is what you possess. Not to mention… the price Regina paid for finding a way to get you both back here was… sacrificing all of her magic."

Staring at her parents, Emma felt more than a little overwhelmed. While she and Regina had very different ways of thinking, Emma knew she was the only person she could learn magic from. If Regina didn't have it, how could she defeat the Wicked Witch?

"You'll be the savior again, Mom," Henry said quietly, though Emma could tell he was having a hard time trying to picture Regina without magic.

Emma smiled a little, before sighing. "Yeah, I'll be the Savior again."

She wasn't sure if she was happy about that or not - this was the only reason she had her true memories back, but on the other side, this was probably going to be incredibly dangerous, and Henry could get hurt, and that was the last thing she wanted.

"HENRY!" Regina's voice shouted, and Emma felt like she was back in Storybrooke the night her life changed forever, with Regina running up to the son that had been missing, only this time, Henry ran to her as well, long arms wrapping around her with a smile.

"Mom, I missed you so much!" Henry said.

"I missed you too Henry… I want to hear all about New York," Regina replied. "But later, okay? Right now we need to make sure the witch – "

"Did you call my name, dear sister?"


	9. Past

_Sister_?

Emma stared between Regina and the Wicked Witch, wondering what the hell was going on. Regina didn't have a sister, did she?

The Witch stepped closer, and Emma instinctively moved in front of her mother, Regina in front of Henry. When the Witch saw Regina, she simply laughed.

"Do you think I'm a fool, Regina? I know you have lost your magic," she said, smirking wildly. "And all in an effort to get my nephew and the supposed savior here."

"Who are you?" Henry asked, eyes wide.

"You can call me Auntie Zelena, dear boy," she said with a smirk, stepping closer.

Henry glared, but stepped back toward his father instead.

"What do you want?" Emma asked. "Why are you doing this?"

Zelena looked confused for just a brief moment, before the smirk crossed her features again. "Ah yes, that's right. You were in that other world, weren't you? Supposedly free from all of this magic. Free from any worries about Wicked Witches, or boys who refuse to grow up."

"How did you know that?" Emma questioned.

Zelena laughed. "Everyone knows the story of Peter Pan. He is – or, was – one of the most known person in the lands. And dangerous. But as dear Rumpel took care of him, well… I suppose I can take his place."

"So why are you doing this?" Emma repeated, trying to remember what Gold had taught her about magic. Emotion. Feel the emotion. She felt the massive urge to defend her parents, her son, and her friends.

"You see, my life was… how shall I say… difficult, growing up. A father who never loved me, and a mother who died before I knew the truth about my heritage," Zelena explained. "I was a second chance."

"It's impossible to change the past," Neal cut in. "The laws of magic – "

"All laws can be broken if they have the right person at the head. Isn't that right, Neal?" Zelena sneered, which made Emma's blood boil. She wanted to protect him. All of them. But she was confused as to why Zelena had implied that Neal knew how to break the laws of magic.

"Neal, what did you do?" Emma asked, staring at him.

Neal cleared his throat awkwardly. "I… managed to bring my father back from the dead. Or… not really from the dead. I freed him from the Dark One's vault."

"What? How?"

"I'll explain later."

Zelena smirked. "I'll explain. You see, Rumpel wasn't really dead. All he needed was the right... push so to speak, to come back. I suppose a child's love is enough, because before we knew it, dear Rumpel was regenerating right in front of our eyes."

Emma frowned. "Where is Rumpelstiltskin then?"

Zelena tisked. "No need to worry about him. When I turn back time… you won't need to worry about anything."

"You're not going to win."

Zelena laughed. "Sorry dear. I don't deal with amateurs."

Emma glared. Oh, this witch was going to get it. "I'm not an amateur. I'm the Savior."

"Amateur, savior. Whatever you are, you're too late."

"What do you mean?"

Lights shot up through the floor, which Emma had only just noticed had strange carvings throughout it.

"No! Emma!" her mother screamed.

Emma screamed as well, only just registering Neal's arms around her waist as they were pulled into the portal with Zelena.

Groaning as she blinked out the last of the light, Emma frowned and looked around.

They were back in the woods.

Zelena didn't seemed to be as thrilled about this though, looking around in anger.

"This isn't where I wanted to be! We should have gone further back!" she complained.

Emma looked around, frowning as she saw a tree in the road, and a carriage.

Wait a second.

Her eyes widened as she looked at Neal.

"Neal…" she breathed. "I know where we are."

He frowned, looking at her. "Where?"

Emma took a deep breath. "This is in Henry's book… it's the day my parents met."

Neal stared at her as if she was insane. Of course, this whole thing was insane – the fact that they were back in time to begin with – much less the fact that she was going to be able to see how her parents met with her own eyes.

"Tis but a fallen tree! No need to worry," one of the palace guards said, but her father seemed unconvinced.

"Wait… if my father's there, then that means…" Emma murmured, looking up into the trees as Zelena continued to scowl.

Her mother stood high on a tree branch, concealed by shadows.

Emma was going to see her mother robbing her father.

Like mother, like daughter, she supposed.

Zelena though, seemed to snap out of her anger. "No matter… this might not be as far back as I wanted to go, but I can work with this." A burst of magic enveloped her palm, and Emma's eyes widened.

"Zelena no!" she cried, trying to remember what Rumpelstiltskin had told her about magic. To defend those she loves.

"MOM LOOK OUT!" she shouted as a burst of magic flew from her hands, the white light enveloping Zelena as Zelena's magic shot toward Snow.

Zelena screamed in pain, and Emma could see her collapse.

Emma's eyes widened as she looked down at her hands, before her eyes snapped up the tree to her mother, who was nowhere to be found.

"No! She – "

"She's fine Emma, look," Neal said, pointing back toward the carriage. Her mother was on the roof, grabbing something.

No one was paying them any attention – only focused on the fact that they'd just been robbed.

"I don't understand. If anything was going to get their attention – "

"What are the three rules of magic, Emma?" Neal asked.

Her eyebrows furrowed. "You can't bring someone back from the dead… you can't make someone love you and… you can't… change the past."

"Exactly," Neal said. "Zelena's powers had no effect because the past has already been written. There's no changing it."

Emma's eyes darted to her mother, who was retreating on a white horse.

No changing the past, which meant whatever Zelena was planning would have failed.

The wicked witch groaned, sitting back up, and Emma scowled, going over to her and hoisting her up.

"You've failed, Zelena. Now get us home."

Zelena scowled, struggling her grip, but Emma didn't move, Neal coming over to help hold Zelena still. "I can't. You – you destroyed my magic. You have to get us back."

Emma stared at the witch. She'd been lucky just to get that burst of magic to distract the woman. How was she going to bend the laws of time in order to get the three of them back to the present.

"You can do it, Emma," Neal said. "Just focus on getting us home."

Emma nodded, letting go of Zelena as Neal re-adjusted his grip on her, taking deep breaths and focusing on her parents, Henry, and the other faces they'd left behind. Focused on their current faces.

She didn't want to think about what would happen if she focused on her parent's wedding, or Rumpelstiltskin as a poor spinner.

Suddenly, they were swallowed by another white light, and Emma heard her son's cry before she opened her eyes, nearly tackled by the boy.

"Oh Emma! Thank goodness!" her father cried as he and her mother ran to join Henry, enveloping her in a hug.

She was home.

_A/N: I apologize for speeding through everything. As this is a short story I didn't want to drag this out for another 5 chapters!_


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